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They played for both... Arsenal and Barcelona

Arsenal face Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League Final in
Paris on Wednesday and as we approach the show-piece encounter,
Arsenal.com take a look at some of those who have
played for both the Gunners and the reigning Primera Liga
winners.

Marc Overmars
Arsenal 1997-00 (Apps 126+15, Goals
40)
Barcelona 2000-04 (Apps 34+36, Goals 9)
Marc Overmars arrived at Highbury from Ajax in the summer of 1997.
He was employed predominantly on the left wing by Arsène
Wenger and it was from this position that he scored two of the most
significant goals of his Arsenal career - the winner against
Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1998 as the Gunners stormed to
the Premiership title, and the opener in the FA Cup Final that same
year. Marc eventually moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2000 in a
joint deal with Emmanuel Petit. The transfer made him the most
expensive Dutchman in history - a record which still stands
today.

Emmanuel Petit
Arsenal 1997-00 (Apps 112+4, Goals
11)
Barcelona 2000-01 (Apps 17+11, Goals 1)
Emmanuel Petit was a left-sided defender at Monaco before his move
to Highbury in the summer of 1997. But upon arrival in London,
Wenger teamed his pony-tailed new recruit alongside Patrick Vieira
to form one of the best central midfield partnerships in the modern
game. One of Petit's finest moments in an Arsenal shirt arrived
during the FA Cup Final win over Newcastle in1998 when, with the
game goalless, Petit looked up and chipped a perfectly-weighted
through-ball over the Magpies' defence to create the opening
goal for Marc Overmars. He later joined the Dutchman in a joint
transfer to Barcelona in 2000.

Silvinho
Arsenal 1999-01 (Apps 65+14, Goals
5)
Barcelona 2004-Present (Apps 13+12, Goals 0)
Silvinho arrived at Highbury in the summer of 1999 from Brazilian
side Corinthians and was instantly a hit with fans because of his
willingness to run at opponents from his left-back berth. Signed as
a long-term replacement for the legendary Nigel Winterburn, the
diminutive full-back suffered an injury which allowed a youthful
Ashley Cole to break into the Arsenal first-team - and cement his
starting place. Silvinho moved onto Spanish outfit Celta Vigo in
2001 and joined Barcelona three years later to help the Catalan
side to consecutive La Liga titles as well as the Final of this
season's Champions League.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Arsenal 2001-04 (Apps 39+24, Goals
2)
Barcelona 2004-Present (Apps 47+3, Goals 4)
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst joined Arsenal from Scottish giants
Glasgow Rangers in 2001 and was expected to be Emmanuel Petit's
replacement as a partner for Patrick Vieira in the middle of the
park. However, after failing to nail down a regular starting berth
in London, Van Bronckhorst joined Barcelona on a permanent basis in
2004 having first enjoyed a short loan spell at the Nou Camp. The
Dutchman has made the left-back spot his own for Frank
Rijkaard's outfit as Barcelona recorded back-to-back league
titles in 2005 and 2006.

Francesc Fabregas
Barcelona 2002-03 (Apps 0, Goals 0)
Arsenal 2003-Present (Apps 74+21, Goals 8)
Cesc Fabregas came through the ranks in the same youth team as
Lionel Messi - Argentina's brightest young prospect - but a
lack of opportunities at Barcelona saw the then 15-year-old move to
north London in 2003. Fabregas soon became Arsenal's youngest
player and goalscorer and went on to establish himself as a
first-team regular last season. By the start of the current
campaign, with Patrick Vieira moving to Juventus during the summer,
Fabregas was a first-team regular and few have impressed more
during the Gunners' run to the Champions League Final.

Statistics correct up to April 28, 2006.

Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source11 May 2006

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